Ricky's Birthday
by VC
Summary: It's Ricky's first birthday without his mom. What will Ella do?


Ricky's Birthday

Disclaimer: The normal stuff, I don't own the characters here, CBS does. I am making o money at all. The story is all MINE!!!! (insert evil laugh here.)

Note: I don't know how old Ricky is so I'm guessing here. He looks about 6 or so to me. 

Ella Farmer looked at here calender once again. Tomorrow was her nephews birthday, and it would be hard. It would be Ricky's first birthday since his mother's death and Ella wanted to make it a happy one, to make up for Ricky's mother not being there. At first, Ella wanted to have a party, but she soon realised that Ricky didn't seem to have many friends. That in itself bothered her, but she was unsure what to do about it. 

Then she thought about taking him some place he really enjoyed, but every time she asked him, he just shrugged it off. He wouldn't answer her. So at this moment, she was lost for ideas. She had no idea what six year olds liked for their birthday, and she didn't know anyone who did.

At that moment, Jack Mannion, the Washington D.C. chief of Police and her boss, walked into her office with Ricky sitting up on his shoulders. Ricky's school was having an inservice day, and Ella's normal babysitter couldn't come today, so Ella was going to call off for the day, but when she talked to Jack, he told her to come to work and bring Ricky with her. 

"Hey Ella, did you find the information on the bank robberies?" Jack asked her.

"Yep, here you go, Chief." she replied.

Jack placed Ricky on the floor. "Alright partner, my neck's hurting. Your Aunt Ella and I have to talk business, so why don't you go out to see Nancy. I bet she's got something for you." 

"Okay Uncle Jack," Ricky said as he raced out the office door.

"So," said Jack as soon as Ricky was out of sight, "did you figure out what to do for his birthday?"

"I thought you wanted to talk about these bank robberies?" Ella said.

"We will, but tomorrow is Ricky's birthday." Jack said.

"I know," replied Ella, "but I have no idea what to do. He doesn't seem to have any friends his own age, and I'm his only family. He doesn't want to go anywhere or even asked for anything. To be honest, with the exception when he's hardly said anything for the past two weeks. I have no idea what to do with him."

"He does seem happy here, doesn't he?" said Jack, "You know what, I think I may have an idea." 

"Really? What ?" asked Ella.

"Nope, it's my idea, I'm in charge. You just make sure that Ricky is here tomorrow at three o'clock. And not a minute sooner. And I'll tell you what, take the rest of the afternoon off, take him out for the day. I'll take care of everything."

"But Chief..." Ella began.

"No buts, out now." 

Ella knew that Jack was up to something, and knew to listen to him. She gathered her things and went out to get Ricky who was sitting on Nancy's desk, eating some candy that he'd been given. Nancy was sitting at her desk typing while Danny sat in a chair in front of the desk, talking to Ricky.

"Tomorrow's my birthday!" Ricky told him.

"How old will you will be?" asked Danny.

"Six. How old are you?" Ricky asked.

Danny and Nancy both laughed. "A lot older than six" replied Danny.

"Ricky, what are you doing?" asked Ella.

"Nothing, just talking. I got candy." 

"I see that," turning to Nancy, " I asked you not to give him any." 

"Hey it wasn't me. Danny gave it to him." Nancy said as she pointed to McGreggor.

"I think I have work to do somewhere." Danny said as he got up and headed back to his desk. 

Nancy and Ella laughed at McGreggor's retreating form. "Come on Ricky," Ella said, "We've got to go home."

"Do we have to?" whined Ricky.

"Yes, we do, come on, I'll take you lunch anywhere you want." Ella said as she grabbed his hand and lead him to the elevator. 

A few minutes later, Jack came out of his office. He looked to Nancy.

"Ella gone?" he asked.

"Yep, she took Ricky out to lunch. What do you need?" asked Nancy.

"Yeah, can you get Danny, Temple, Nick, and Joe, and all come into my office?" he asked.

"Sure thing Chief" replied Nancy. She went around and gathered everyone that Jack requested. In the office Jack revealed his 'master plan' to them. When it was all done, he told them all to be quiet about the entire thing. He wanted it all to be perfect. 

The next day, Ella brought Ricky to headquarters at three o'clock as requested. She was surprised to find the entire floor empty. True, it was Saturday, but the station never closed down. She wondered if something bad had happened. She was about to turn around, when she heard music coming from Jack's office. 

"Come on Ricky, let's go see where Uncle Jack is." she said as she held Ricky's hand tightly. They edged closer to the door. The music was from one of the Chief's favorite albums. It was one that he had recently played for Ricky. The lights were out in the office. Slowly, Ella pushed open the door with Ricky right behind here.

Suddenly, the lights came up as and the air was filled with the voices of her friends as they shouted, "SURPRISE!!!". 

Jack's office had been decorated for a birthday party. On the desk was a birthday cake and a pile of presents. Ella looked around in surprise, as Ricky ran up to his 'Uncle' Jack who was sitting in the desk chair. All of her friends were there. Danny and Nancy were sitting over by the window, Joe and Nick were sitting in the chairs across from Jack. Sherri was standing behind Jack, and Temple was over by Nancy and Danny. 

Jack came up to Ella. "We're all his family too Ella, we thought we should spend his birthday with him." 

"Thank you, all of you." Ella said.

They had cake and pizza, something Jack had tried to give up awhile ago, and then Ricky opened his presents. They even tried to dance a little, at least those that could. After a few minutes it was decided that Danny should never again even try and dance and Joe wouldn't do it if his life depended on it. After a couple hours, the group started to leave.

"Sorry, but I have to go finish some reports for the week." Joe said.

"I have to go work on a couple of new press releases." was Nick's excuse.

"I have some errands to run." said Nancy.

"And I um,,, I have to... go.... help." Danny managed to muster out as he followed Nancy out the door.

"I have to get going too." Temple said. "Happy Birthday Ricky." he said as he hugged Ricky goodbye.

"I'm going to try and find some trash bags so we can clean up this mess." Sherri said as she walked out the door. 

"Thanks Chief, for everything." Ella said.

"Hey, he's my only nephew, and he is our family. We all wanted to see him happy. I know this has been hard on both of you." 

"Yeah, it has. But we have another stop today Chief so," 

"I understand, you get out of here, Sherri and I will clean up." Jack said.

"Come on Ricky, let's get this stuff in the car." She and Ricky gathered up his gifts and headed downstairs to the car. 

Ella drove to the cemetary. "Come one Ricky. Let's go." 

The two walked hand in hand as through the cemetary. They stopped in front of one of the headstones.

"Why'd we come here Aunt Ella?" Ricky asked.

"Because I thought your Mommy would love to see how big you're growing up to be." Ella smiled. 


End file.
